Arsenal are looking to secure the futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka (Picture: Getty)
Ray Parlour fears Arsenal are in danger of undermining all the hard work Mikel Arteta has done in rebuilding his squad if they fail to extend the contracts of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
The Arsenal manager has masterminded an impressive start to the new season which has seen the Gunners drop just three points from their opening nine matches, playing a brand of fast-flowing, attacking football that has enthralled a re-engaged fanbse.
Although Arteta has benefited from a second successive summer of serious investment, Arsenal’s improvement has been underpinned by the rapid development of an emerging crop of young players.
Saka, Martinelli and William Saliba, who has cemented a place at the heart of Arsenal’s defence after three successive loan spells, but that triumvirate are all coming towards the end of their respective deals.
Arsenal last challenged for the league title over a decade ago but any hope of building on signs of promise were undermined when Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie all departed within the space of 12 months and Parlous knows his old club cannot allow the same to happen again.
William Saliba has made a huge impact since returning to Arsenal from his loan at Marseille (Picture: Getty)
‘We’ve seen it happen so many times at Arsenal where people have gone on free transfers,’ Parlour told talkSPORT.
‘Back in the day [Robin] van Persie – free transfer more or less. We had to sell him with a year left [on his contract].
‘[Samir] Nasri was in the same situation. So now you’ve got to highlight who you want to keep, who’s your players going forward.
‘I’m sure there’ll be so much interest for Saka. All the big big boys will come in and try to sign him,” Parlour added.
‘So now sit down with him, get him on a good contract. Martinelli’s in the same boat – they’ve got to try to nail him down as well.
‘[Emile] Smith Rowe has just signed a new contract, I know he’s injured at the moment but you’ve got to try and get these youngsters to sign up and believe that in two or three years time, this club is going somewhere.’
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Time is ticking on those contracts.